Skyping into PeopleTV’s Reality Check on Tuesday outside of rehearsals in Los Angeles, the Kenan & Kel star weighed in on some of his competitors and revealed that so far, he’s been most impressed by Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek.

“Definitely this version will go a lot better,” he said. “He’s a beast, okay? Me and him, nonstop. When I’m in there, he’s in there. Every time I go to rehearse, I see James.”

“The other day, he was in there by himself, just practicing,” he continued. “So shoutout to James. That was a surprise I did see which I thought was very, very cool, that he was in there before his partner got there. He’s definitely in the zone.”

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Kel Mitchell (left) and James Van Der Beek | Justin Stephens/ABC (2)

Still, Mitchell is determined to take home the Mirrorball Trophy himself.

“I like to say I’m my biggest competition, so then that way you can’t really get off of your game plan,” he said. “I like to look at it like, ‘Okay, let me just beat what I did yesterday, let me be better than the day before, and just focus on that.'”

And as he throws himself into rehearsals, the comedian says his background in hip hop has helped when it comes to memorizing choreography.

“I am loving it, it’s very exciting,” he said. “I can’t tell you who my partner is yet, but she’s awesome, an awesome coach. Our first dance is tango and it’s no hip movements or stuff that I’m used to, so shoutout to all ballroom dancers. I have so much respect for them. I am feeling muscles I’ve never felt before. It’s some serious, serious technique that needs to be learned. It’s awesome.”